It’s A Good Show, Charlie Brown

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John Marshall Theatre presented the musical You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown on November 9th, 10th, and 11th at the John Marshall Auditorium. The production was directed by Michael Kleiman. Originally written by Clark Gesner in 1967, the play has even been a Broadway show. The play is a series of events in Charlie Brown’s life when he’s 7 years old. These events lead him to discover his talents and himself as a person. The lead role of Charlie Brown was played by Drew Stutz, but numerous other cast and crew members worked together to bring the well-known comic strip characters to life on stage.

While many people enjoyed the show, most don’t realize how much work goes into a musical production. More than 40 people helped put the show together. Although everyone recognizes the importance of the director and cast, often the crew, orchestra, and chorus are forgotten and are not given enough credit. Without the crew, the production wouldn’t be possible. The crew is responsible for building the set and making props. One of the most interesting props was the kite. To get the kite to fly, the crew add to replace it with a pipe the was raised up and down by a crew member. Some crew members operate lights and sound, while others do makeup and costumes. The orchestra is responsible for making the production sound awesome and giving songs rhythm to help the actors sing. The backup singers help add voice to the song and often play small roles.

Michael Kleiman directed the production, with Chris Jarvis in charge of the orchestra, and Randy Mayberry leading the crew. As director, Mr. Kleiman oversees everything in the shows, from cast to crew to budget to marketing. In the words of Kleiman, “I’m kind of the CEO that oversees every part of it.” Assisting him were Millie Gotelaere (stage manager) and Paige Crosgrove (assistant stage manager.) Randy Mayberry is in charge of the crew. He makes sure the set gets built and painted on time. During shows he makes sure the props are moved when and where to they need to be. Chris Jarvis is in charge of the music, conducting the orchestra and making sure the actors know the songs and can hit the right notes.

The show had a $10,000 budget used for marketing, new tools, wood, costumes, props, paint, screws, and any other elements needed to create the show. The crew worked for over a month to build and paint the set and finish the props. In that time, the cast memorized their lines and songs and the orchestra memorized their music. The contributions of all of the students and staff came together to make the show a success.

If you missed Charlie Brown, keep an eye out for the next production. It is sure to please.